Poll Shows Libertarian Shift Among American Voters

Dave77459 via Flikr Americans are turning increasingly libertarian in their social and economic philosophies, a new CNN poll has found.

The poll has tracked American libertarian tendencies since 1993. Sixty-three percent of respondents—an all-time high—said that the government is doing too many things better left to the private sector.

A majority of voters also said the government should not favor any particular set of social values.

"There have been visible shifts in public opinion on a number of issues, ranging from increasing tolerance for same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization on the one hand, to the skepticism over stimulus packages and the health-care overhaul on the other hand, that can be interpreted as a move toward more libertarian views."